Tube-cleaning system



July A28, 1925.

M. PENN TUBE CLEANING SYSTEM Filed ....uchy 28,

Patented July 28, 1925.

untreu." stares .PATENT OFFICE.'

MARION PENN, or imrzasn'rn, NEW JERSEY, AssIGNon ro Wannen# C. BLAKE, or Y lNew Yonai, N. Y.

TUBE-CLEANI-NG SYSTEM.

' Application led .March 28, 1921. --Serial No. 456,445.

To all whom t may concern.' v Be it known that I, Mnniorr PENN, a c1t1- zen of the United States, residing at Eliza` beth, in the county' of Union and State of.

B New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Tube-Cleaning Systems, of which the following is a specification, reference beingv had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention is a novel tube cleaning system, and has especial reference to means for cleaning the tubes of condensers, within which forms an accumulation of slime, mud and loose dirt to the material detriment of the efficiency ofthe condenser..` It is well known that the accumulations within the 4tubes of a condenser are the cause of a gradually increasing ineiiciency until, at the last, a very enormous loss sometimes occurs. The-objection is so pronounced that many 20 schemes have been, attempted for eliminating the accumulation fof dirt in condenser tubes. So far as I know" none of these schemes has been widely adopted excepting thatinvolving the use of a metal brush inserted andV .25 forced through the tubes of the condenser; these, however, involving high. expense in material and labor, thebrushes moreover rapidly deteriorating, andcausing steady wear upon the condenser tubes. One of the main objects of the presentinvention is to afford a system of cleaning tubes which will' avoid the objections mentioned, and I have ,devised a system and means for this purpose,

as will be hereinafter more fully described,

which is cheap in cost, inexpensive inoperation, simple, effective, durable, and noninjurious to the tubes. Another object of the present invention is to provide a system by which a condenser having a large number 4o of tubes may be cleaned in a very short space of time, rendering it available where in many circumstances it would not be permissible to stop the operation of the condenser long enough to permit cleaning. While I have particularly referred-to the cleaning of con- .de'nser tubes my invention could obviousl be used for cleaning analogous tubes, suc

dirt,.slime and the'lle is liable to form. 5o ,The plug of thispinvention can `be satisfactoril' used in a condenser wherein there are slig t variations in tube diametenhlrhich `inmetallic portions;-

frequcntly occurs in practise, the characteristics of my plug being such that it-adjusts itself without impairing its efficiency.

To the attainment of the above recited objects and advantages, the present invention consists in the novel system or means of cleaning tubes, also the novel tube cleaning plug, and the apparatus for driving the plug through the' tubes, and the other novel features of combination, arrangement, construction or'detail herein described or illustrated.

The general plan of the Ipresent 4invention is to employ an effective plug or cleaner which can be inserted Within the bore 0f each tube, together with an apparatus for delivering a charge of compressed air or steam, or sometimes water, behind the plug to :force or drive vit like a projectile through the tube, the pluc carryin the mud, slime and dirt ahead of it and discharging the same at the opposite end of the tube.u` The invention also involves novel principles in the construct-ion "and composition of cleaning plugs, as well as several specilic forms embodying the same, and a novel means for deliyering the air for the. propulsion of the p ug. 1' In the accompanying drawin s, Fig. 1 is 80 a vertical section taken throu a. portion of a condenser showing the 4cada at the opposite ends thereof and a plurality of condenser tubes, to which is shown applied the present invention for the pur ose of cleaning such tubes. In. the lowest tulbe the plug has merely been inserted; in the uppermost tube air has been applied and is driving the plu and dirt-toward thel rea-r in the middle tube the plug and dirt are about to pass out at the rear end of the tube. Fig. 2 is a detached side elevation of one of the plugs or cleaners of the resent invention, similar to that in Fig. 1' ut composed of a different material.

' Fig. 3 and 4 show modificationsl of structure 'in -which the form of plugof Figs. 1

. or 2.' is supplemented by loose metallic rings y or Scrapers. as boiler tubes, in which a coating of loose Figs.v 5, 6 and 7 show other fqrmagxnbody- 100 ig. 8 shows a still different form, and f Fig. 9 is e cross section taken on'the )11159-9 The condenser 15 is herein represented merely by showing portions of the heads 16 and 17, to which the opposite ends of the .condenser tubes 18, 19 and 20 are fitted 1n a usual manner.

The means vor appliance/for forcing the plugs through the tubes is shown as compris-v rearwardly from the mouth-piece. A handle 26 may be provided to facilitate the carrying and operating of the device.

Normally the supply of compressed air will be shut oil'v by a valve 27, which, as

shown, is preferably of a quick opening t A pe,

so that upon operation the full force an effeet of air pressure and flow are delivered abruptly against the cleaner plug. AThe valve' has a stem 28 extending outwardly and which has onl to be depressed to open the valve and admit the air to thecondensex' tube. The flexible pipe 22 is connected to the rear end ofthe valve 27 and from the other end of the valve extends a pipe 29 which may be continued into the mouth 24.

Under the impetus of the air pressure the plug starts forward and travels rapidly through the tube carrying the dirt before it, the air flowing as rapidly into the space behind the plug to maintain its travel. Occasionally a plug may become stuck within the tube for one reason or another and in such cases it is-desirable to avoid the unimpeded delivery of compressed air behind the p1ug. For this purpose, and also togive warning to the operator of the stoppage of the plug, I have provided in the wall of the valve 27 a safety device or escape 3() controlled by a spring and acting to yield and deliver air into the atmosphere when the pressure within the appliance'becomcs excessive.

Instead of requiring the operator to open -the air valve 27 by hand after inserting thev appliance within cach condenser tube I have provided an arrangement whereby this is performed automatically. For this purpose thecasing 25 is formed with a flared rear end as shown, this acting as a cam, and serving to force inwardly the valve stem 28 when the valve is' moved relatively forward. vrlhis action is permitted by the fact that the valve is not rigidly connected .to the casing.

The pipe extension 29 is arranged so that it may slide inwardly though the casting or head 3l of the casing. A spring 32 gives a constant tendency to throw the valve rear waidly and thus permit-.its closing. A pin tapered and slot device 33 between the pipe 29 and the head 31 limits the relative movement between the valve and the casing.

The operation of this part of the invention may be as follows. The o erator, holding the apparatus by the han le 26 and the pipe 22, inserts the tapered mouth 24 within the condenser tube 18, forcing it homeby the handle26, and in the same movement continuing the forward thrust of the pipe 22 so as to cause the yield of the springv 32 and the automatic opening of the valve 27, giving an immediate and forcible blast of air which serves to drive theV plug through the tube. The parts areshown in this sition in rig. 1. As soon as the plu as assed through the tube the operator raws liack on the members 22 and 26 thus closing 1 the valve and removing the appliance.

The plug may take various forms, such as shown at 41 Fig. 1, 42 F ig. 2, 43 Fig.' 3, etc. ln theillustrative form vshown in Fig. 1, the plug 41 is shown as comprising two-.separated flange portions 5l, 51 composed of 'i tough resilient rubber of'goodquality, these piston like flanges especially the front one,

bein of sullcient y large diameter to give` a 'tig t fit with the tube, and of such longitudinal dimension or thickness that the flange will act, not as amere washer, but by circumferential compression, thus giving an expanding forcible pressure against the inner walls ,of the tube to be cleaned. For example, if the 'tube interior diameter be ,7/8 inch the diameter of the flange portion 51 will be a'full 7/8 inch or slightly thereover so thata certain compression exists in the flange, giving the intimate contact necessity for a thorouvh cleansing operation. The thickness of the flange, for example may be 3/164 inch. Between the lseparated flanges. 51, 51 is shown an elongated body portion 52.

With the assumed dimensions of the flange, the total length of the plug may, for example be 1 and 11/16 inch: middle portion 53 of.the body of the plug shall be nearly of the diameter of the tube bore, for example 5.5/64 inch, so as to give a loose fit as comparedwith the flanges, yet preventing displacement of the plug as a whole, and giving a certain additional cleaning action where the amount of dirt issuch as topcome into contactwithf this part of the i plug. Between the plug portions 53 and the flanges 51 are portions 54 of reduced di-l ameter `giving recesses 55 between the respective flanges and the body portion, these recesses serving to Ireceive, accumulate, and carry along a' certain amount of dirt not forced ahead of the foremost'flang'e. It will be noticedthat the described shape of plug is such as to permit easyA insert1on and en- I prefer that the.

trance into the end of the tube, the flanges yielding sulliciently to permit this to be done by hand and yet to give a tight fit, affording ture, and durable in use. Roughly,

nem/,aac

great cleansing power when the plug is shot through thetube by the application of coinpressed air.

i The described cleaning plus el, as shown in Fig. 1 may consist -simply'of a single piece of elastic rubber molded into the form shown, with the several described portions of the plug integral with each other. Such a plug is simple in form, cheap of manutad a single plug can be used for several hundred cleaning operations before it Wears suiiiciently to render it ineilective for the particular size of tube for Which it Was constructed. The

plug is Wholly harmless to the tube and of the plug,

in its true path of motion,

flanges will do gives high cleansing efficiency. The length and its spaced apart flanges, also its central body portion nearly of thefull diameter, all tend to keep the plug parallel, so that the `tight fitting flanges with their substantial bearing surfaces and sharp edges will Work to maximum efficiency. y

While in some lcases the spaced apart the Work Without the large diameter body better plug, and its eciency is increased by reason of the tendency of the body to become distorted and pressing Contact against the tube when the l LIL- in Fig. 1. Itis are preferred to be formed with 3:?a ners 1n cross section,

air 'pressure squeezes the plug lengthwise, -as observed by comparing the bottom plug in Fig. l with theother two. The flanges square coras shown, giving a sort si cutting action upon the soft dirt, slime, em

ln practice a large number of plugs will be kept at hand. VAssuming a condenser having six thousand tubes it is preferable to employ, say fifteen hundred plugs, made to the proper size of the tubes,v this large number of plugs saving labor. @ne Workman Lmay insert the plugs in the respective tubes AWhile a second one follows with the appliance' for admitting compressed air behind each plug. AHe passes rapidly along from tube to tube, each operation being almost 'instantaneous 'lhe operation is wholly free from the unpleasantness from dirt and odor which pertained to the older systems andled to neglect .in caring for the condensers. `Where plugs have been heretofore attempted these have been interior in results, detective in action, and damaging to the tubes. The present invention meets these difficulties. The'composition of the plug of resilient rubber' enables the air pressure to compress it slightly, tending to increase the closeness ot' the fit. rlhe plugs inserted at 4the front emerge at the rear, 'driving the mud ahead of them as indicated preferred to install a pern catch the plugs, which can `quantitiesto the front of foi-ated basket to be returned portionf, the latter gives a` expand, giving increased the condenser and applied, either to a different group of tubes, or with systematic repetition to the same tubes if it be. desired to secure maximum` results. l estimate that Where, with the brushing system, the assumed condenser might require an expense.

of $125.00 fora single cleaning, the present invention will save, in labor and mate; rial, or more of this cost, and the great reduction in time consumed minimizes thedisturba'nce in operation of the plant to which the condenser is attached.

, The plug itselie is Well adapted to the purpose; it is practically indestructible in' -use and lasts indefinitely; it is unitary with no connected components to come apart; its l flanges are integral and resilient and can yield or collapse to pass an obstruction, While ail'ording elastic expansive pressure and contact against the tube; and it meets all the other objects and advantages stated at the outset.

The plug 4:2 shown in Fig. 2 is the same as theplug in Fig. l, excepting that the material 57 of which the flanges and body are composed is a composition of rubber containing abrasive materiahindicated by the dotted appearance on the drawing, such as employment tine particles of emery. This of abrasive rubber in the construction of the plug is ol decided advantage in those cases Where a scale or hard crust tends to form in the tubes. llilithout injuring the tubes, the abrasive surface of the rubber, in the repeated cleaning operations, tends to keep the tube i'ree from allsuch-scale or crust, and

to atlord the greatest degree of heat coni I duction in the cooling action of the Condenser. Such an abrasive plug may be produced b incorporating in the raw rubber before vu canization a suitable quantity of powdered abrasive, such as'emery, for example in the amount of 25% of the Weight of therubber. This will not interfere with the proper molding and vulcanization of the rubber in the production of t 1e plugs. The emery and rubber should be thoroughlyA mixed before molding. y

' In the modified plug 43, shown in Fig. 3, the general characteristics may be the sume as in Figs. l or 2, but Fig. 3 shows an additional feature in the form of a metallic ring 58, or two such rings, coniined in the spaces 55. These rings are shown as constructed oli' metal and having sharp edges so asvto further assist in the removal of crust or caked material. These rings are 01"' the loose fitdiameter of the tion 53 of the lug. y

In the modlication, shown in Fig. el, loose metallic. rings59 are likewise shown, in this case the rings ripheries to further assist scraping and meaning action.

middle porpreferably form of plug body.

Fi 5- shovvs a further' modificationin v'Whic 'a metallic ring 60 is embedded in a groove in the rubber.

`might be desirable to employ such a plug immediately following a cleaning operation with a plug of the kind shown in Figs. l or 2. Fig. 5 also shows a somewhat different The rubber portions (it between the flanges 5l and the body middle 53, being. slanted reversely, as compared with Figs. l to 4.

In Fig. 6 a'helical strip oit metal or coil spring 62 is shown wound around the body portion ol the plug, giving. several spiral grooves and a more extended and ellicient scraping action by the metal. A variation is shown in Fig. 7 in which a coil spring 61? is wound bodily around a. groove formed in the plug body.

In some cases it may be desirable to einbody the metal parts in connection with a core and Figs. 8 and 9 show such a form.

An interior bolt 64 has a confining. nut 65.

and along its length are alternate disks 66 and Washers 67, the disks being'cut away asy indicated. This structure or skeleton is inserted in the rubber mold and the rubber 68 i`s 'formed and vulcanizedA in the manner shown, with a head 69 oi the full diameter of the condenser tube, the disks being shown of the same diameter. 7 l

It will be noted that each disclosed embodiment has one or more cleaning portions or heads, 51 or 69, at the ends. `rWhen terming these heads flanges it is intended to bring out that the thickness is not too great to permit the ready bending of the material as the flange yields in inserting it into the tubes, 'the diameter in that Vcase being;r sulficiently great to give a tight lit andetective pressure against the tubes though the latter vary slightly in diameter, as they (lo in practise. lThe flanges may also yield during operation when the plug is being propelled by the fluid pressure, but their substantial thickness ensures continued cleaning pres sure on the tube Walls. ln Figures 5 to 9 the middle portion of the plug may be said to be grooved.

1t will thus be seen that I have described a tube cleaning system embodying the principles and attaining the advantages of the pres sent invention, and as means for carrying out such system, a novel tube cleaning plug, also,

a novel apparatus for driving plugs through tubes, all in accordance with the principles 0f the present invention. vlWhile such piir ciples have been illustrated by specific t amples, nevertheless the same principles would be utilized with various modifications of construction, combination, arrangement, and other features, and it is not intended inmate 'to limit the invention to the articular feau tures illustrated except in so ar as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: A

l. A. tube cleaning plug having an elonf gated body and tight ttin `heads coinn posed of resilient rubber, an with a loose metallic element surrounding the body and confined by a head. A y y 2. A' tube cleaning plug having a middle portion slightly less in diameter than the bore of the tube, and spaced apart flanges of substantial thickness and the lull diameter 'cned lor abrading purposes.

6. A duid-propelled tubecleaning plug! composed entirel r of tough resilient rubber and formed with an elongated body and cleaning headset the ends, each of sub-stantial thickness and substantially Vfitting, the tubes to be cleaned, atleast one of said heads being a flange of sucient diameter to 've a tight lit and pressure against tubes slig tly varyin in diameter.

7. P ug as in cla-im 6 and wherein the body comprises a cylindrical portion s aced `lrom tight littting end flanges at bot ends, the body being slightly 'more loose fitting than the flanges, and adapted by its resilience to expand under the endwise compression and press against the tube Wall.

8. A tube-cleaner consisting 'of anv elastic i collapse in opposite directions under air compression or pressure to provide clearance for the plug or cleaner 1n case of its passage vbeing otherwise impeded through the condenser or other tube.

9. A. tube-cleaner consisting of a projectile plug of elastic material havingend-flangeforming annular portions and an intermediate cylindrical portion, said flange-form ing portions being of somewhat greater dinneter than the intermediate cylindric 'p yrt-ion.

10. A plug adaptedto be forced by air pressure through condenser tubes or the like for removing slime and dirt, the same consisting of an integral piece ol resilient rubber ol elongated forni and shaped with piston-like flanges including a front flange tightly fitting the tube to be cleaned, so that a cleaning contact is attained by the elastic Leemeo outwed pres'sure of the unge after being upon tubes hevingvamatlons of bore; and

a rear Hnge tightly ng the tube 'whereby when the from flange meets excessive resisfanee in the tube the air pressure behind the plug eects distortion of the rubber ter give 'expansion and increased ceanng presl@ Stfa against the tube.

' En testimony whereof, have axed my signature hereto.

MARION PENN. 

